Conventional computer systems typically store data in a number of ways. Many computer systems store data locally to a storage device (e.g., hard drive), which is physically connected to the computer system. Another method of data storage is to store data to removable media such as floppy disks, compact discs (CDs), flash memory cards and the like. Yet another method of data storage includes storing data from a local computer system to a remote storage device via a network connection allowing the transfer of data from the local computer system to the remote storage system. These remote storage devices are typically remote computer systems having hard disk drives, tape drives and the like. In some instances, computer users or entire organizations can subscribe to remote data backup services that allow the user or an organization to pay a periodic (e.g. monthly) fee to have data from local computer(s) (e.g. the user's computer or a group of computers operating within the organization) backed up over a network to remote storage. Such conventional systems calculate and charge the monthly fee based on the amount of data being backed up by the remote system. In the event of data loss by the user or organization, the user or a computer administrator within the organization is able to operate software within the local computer system(s) to retrieve and restore the data from the remote backup system for access again by the local computer(s). In this manner, conventional backup and restore systems allow data that is lost to be recovered and restored.
Data storage systems such as the conventional backup systems noted above store data having various data sizes and data types (e.g., document files, spreadsheet files, image files, databases, and raw partitions to name a few). As a specific example, a user may store a collection of digital photography files. The digital photography files may have different file sizes, as well as different file types, such as bitmap images and/or various image compression types (e.g, JPEG).
Additionally, in another example of a conventional system for backing up data, a user may store the digital photography or other data or files to various removable media, such as floppy disks, CD's, flash memory cards or the like. As such, the user would generally be able to transfer and store the files to any other conventional computer system by physically inserting the removable media into a corresponding computer system and copying the files to that other system.